Backyard Harvest Forums

USDA Announces Funding to Expand School Community Gardens and Garden-Based Learning Opportunities

Kristen Koenig — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:24:08 -0700

Release No. 0420.10
Contact: USDA Office of Communications
(202) 720-4623

USDA Announces Funding to Expand School Community Gardens and Garden-Based Learning Opportunities

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA will establish a People's Garden School Pilot Program to develop and run community gardens at eligible high-poverty schools; teach students involved in the gardens about agriculture production practices, diet, and nutrition; and evaluate the learning outcomes. This $1 million pilot program is authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. A cooperative agreement will be awarded to implement a program in up to five States. To be eligible as project sites, schools must have 50 percent or more students qualifying for free or reduced-price school meals.

"Grass roots community gardens and agriculture programs have great promise for teaching our kids about food production and nutrition at the local level," said Vilsack. "Learning where food comes from and what fresh foods taste like, and the pride of growing and serving vegetables and fruits that grew through your own effort, are life-changing experiences. All of us at USDA are proud to make this possible."
Part of a broad USDA effort to provide children with access to a nutritious and safe diet, this initiative also aims to influence healthier choices for all American households. Produce raised in the gardens can be used in the schools' meals and by student households, local food banks, or senior center nutrition programs.

Through this pilot program, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service seeks to identify models of successful school garden initiatives which then can be marketed to the K-12 community for inspiration, ideas, and replication. Improving USDA's child nutrition programs is a top priority of the Obama Administration. Congress is currently considering legislation to bolster the Child Nutrition Act, which authorizes the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Summer Food Service Programs. These programs serve nearly 32 million children each school day and work in concert to form a national safety net against hunger. Improving the Child Nutrition Act is the legislative centerpiece of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Campaign and was highlighted in the White House report Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation, released on May 11. By passing strong reauthorization legislation, the Administration hopes to reduce hunger, promote access, and improve the overall health and nutrition of children throughout the country. To learn more about the First Lady's Let's Move! campaign, visit www.LetsMove.gov.

The grant is available to public and not-for-profit organizations. Grant applications may be submitted by email to: FY2010Prop_PeoplesGarden@fns.usda.gov or through www.grants.gov. The Request for Applications is available on-line at [www.fns.usda.gov]. The deadline for applications is November 8, 2010.
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) oversees the administration of 15 nutrition assistance programs, including the child nutrition programs that touch the lives of one in four Americans over the course of a year. These programs work in concert to form a national safety net against hunger. Visit www.fns.usda.gov for information about FNS and the USDA nutrition assistance programs.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

This message was sent from USDA Office of Communications to chris.bieker@wa.usda.gov. It was sent from: OC News, USDA Office of Communications 1400 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20250-1300. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.

Webinars on starting a specialty food business

loriehiggins — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:11:06 -0700

Building a Business in Specialty Foods Webinar Series
For immediate release
Contact: Mary Peabody, Email: Mary.Peabody@uvm.edu

Mark your calendars! The eXtension Entrepreneurship webinar series is back for the fourth season. All webinars will air monthly on the second Thursday at 2:00pm (ET); 1:00pm (CT); 12:00pm (MT); 11:00am (PT).

On Thursday, September 9, 2010 we open with a three-month series on specialty food businesses. September’s topic will be Starting Right in Specialty Foods. Join Brian Norder, Director of the Vermont Food Venture Center for an informative session on what it takes to start and grow a specialty food business. Brian has over a decade of experience assisting entrepreneurs in all phases of food-related business development.

On October 14 the webinar will focus on the importance of branding and will feature specialty food business owners Judith Moore of the Charleston Cookie Company (http://www.charlestoncookie.com) and Robin Rhea, Slather Sauce (http://www.slatheriton.com [www.slatheriton.com] ).

The November 11 webinar will conclude this series with a look at Culinary Tourism, an emerging niche that combines agriculture, specialty food and tourism. This presentation will feature a panel of Extension specialists working on Culinary Tourism initiatives.

No pre-registration is required and there is no fee to participate. About 10 minutes prior to the start time simply go the Adobe Connect Pro meeting room at [connect.extension.iastate.edu]. You will be presented with a login screen that has an "Enter as Guest" option. Enter your full name then click "Enter Room" to join the conference. You will be able to hear the audio directly from your computer’s speakers.

Newcomers to online learning are welcome!
--

Mary Peabody, UVM Extension Specialist, Community & Economic Development
Associate Director, Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development

617 Comstock Road, Suite 5
Berlin, VT 05602-9194

Phone: 802-223-2389 extension 202
or tollfree: 866-860-1382 extension 202
Fax: 802-223-6500

E-mail: mary.peabody@uvm.edu

Check out the Women's Ag Network blog
[mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu]

Commitment to our rural communities
[nercrd.psu.edu]

Food Preservation Workshop Series at Moscow Food Co-op

Kristen Koenig — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:56:15 -0700

This year, the Co-op will offer a new series of Saturday afternoon hands-on workshops in which participants will work together to can, freeze, or prepare foods for drying. Everybody who participates will go home with a quantity of food for his or her pantry or freezer. Workshop content and final dates will depend on produce availability but our tentative schedule is as follows:

July 17: Jams, Berries,Greens, Cherries
July 31: Green Beans, Peaches
Aug. 14: Pickles, Sweet Corn
Aug. 28: Chutneys and Relishes, Pesto
Sept. 11: Salsa, Tomato Sauce, Plums
Oct. 9: Applesauce, Roasted Peppers

The base fee for each workshop will be $15, and there will be a surcharge for each workshop to cover the cost of the food, jars, freezer containers and the propane. Scholarships are available; please ask.

Workshops will begin at noon and end when we’re done later that afternoon. Space is limited; if you are interested in being on the workshop mailing list and having the chance to sign up for one or more of the workshops, please e-mail outreach@moscowfood.coop or call Carol at (208) 669.0763.

WSU Organic Farm Field Day

Kristen Koenig — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:37:10 -0700

WSU Organic Farm Field Day in Pullman, WA

Thursday July 29th | 8:30 a.m. until noon (Registration begins at 8 a.m.)

There will be presentations by students and farm manager at 8:30 followed by a tour of the farm. Refreshments will be provided. (Fresh fruits and vegetables and cool drinks to “beet” the heat)

Come discover the latest research and hands-on teaching methods being tested at the Organic Farm, including a new study on alternative dry land grains.

The farm offers students opportunity to earn university credit during the spring, summer, and fall while working on an operational CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) farm. The farm produces over 30 different vegetable crops as well as fruit, flowers and herbs for a 22 week harvest season.

The WSU Organic Farm, a 4-acre certified organic teaching farm, is located in the Tukey Horticultural Orchard (at the corner of Airport and Terre View Roads—follow signs up to the farm)

For more information about the Field Day contact Brad Jaeckel at: jaeckel@wsu.edu

For more information about the WSU Organic Farm see: css.wsu.edu/organicfarm/

Tuesday Growers' Market Open House in Moscow

Kristen Koenig — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:27:56 -0700

Moscow Food Co-op Tuesday Growers' Market Open House
August 3rd from 4:30-6:30 pm
Come Celebrate National Farmers Market Week and enjoy music, food samples, and more. If you use your SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits you will receive an additional $5 token-FREE!

Growers' Market Farm Tour in Moscow

Kristen Koenig — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:14:07 -0700

Know Your Farmer Better with Growers’ Market Farm Tour August 1

If you’ve been shopping the Tuesday Growers’ Market, you understand the satisfaction of knowing where your food comes from. Now we are pleased to announce you can take this one step further, by visiting our Growers’ Market farmers on their farms! Mark your calendar: the tour is Sunday, August 1, in honor of National Farmers’ Market Week (first week of August), and in honor of the Co-op’s Eat Local Challenge (July, August and September). Take a country tour, say hello to some livestock, enjoy some on-farm eating and shopping, and support your local farmer.

The Co-op will not charge for the Growers’ Market Farm Tour, but you must provide your own transportation. To sign up for the tour, e-mail outreach@moscowfood.coop or telephone Carol at 208.669.0763 by July 26. We will provide participants with a map to find the farms, the listings of the times they are open to visitors on August 1, a short list of guidelines (such as no pets on the tour), and some paperwork that each participant will need to sign before embarking on the tour. Please indicate when you contact Carol if you are interested in carpooling.

Kyle Bujnicki and Daryl Swanstrom of Tourmaline Farms/Avon Eggs, Denice Moffat and Michael Robison of Elk Meadow Farm, Debi and Dave Smith of Ravencroft, and Bobbi Calentine of Spring Valley Gardens, and Backyard Harvest have all said they will welcome visitors to their farms.

Some farms are new, some are old, some are bigger, some are smaller, some might challenge your idea of what “farm” means, but all are part of that all-important network of local and sustainable producers who help our community be healthy, diverse, and self-reliant. We are grateful they are willing to open their gates to us!